1
as in preferably
by choice or preference
I would rather go to the movies than stay at home
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in instead
as a substitute
don't think of the placement test as torture but rather as a chance to show off how much you know
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in pretty
to some degree or extent
I say, don't you think that's rather expensive for a hamburger?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of rather
Trump and Musk traded barbs in a rather public feud, with the U.S. president threatening to pull back billions of dollars in government contracts for Musk's companies, while the Tesla CEO suggested Trump could not have won the election without him.
—
Anniek Bao,dylan Butts,sam Meredith, CNBC, 6 June 2025
Ten years later, Jamie Wyeth remains not only my favorite artist but a rather unexpected style muse for his unapologetically unique dress sense.
—Caroline Reilly, Robb Report, 6 June 2025
But Pedro, or Joel, rather, is so painfully handsome, whoever was describing him to Abby couldn’t overlook that fact.
—Stephanie Sengwe, People.com, 25 May 2025
While Lamont points with pride to the large surpluses achieved during his tenure, critics say these weren’t inessential funds but rather were leeched from core programs that have been dangerously undermined.
—Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 25 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for rather
Anniek Bao,dylan Butts,sam Meredith, CNBC, 6 June 2025
Ten years later, Jamie Wyeth remains not only my favorite artist but a rather unexpected style muse for his unapologetically unique dress sense.
—Caroline Reilly, Robb Report, 6 June 2025
But Pedro, or Joel, rather, is so painfully handsome, whoever was describing him to Abby couldn’t overlook that fact.
—Stephanie Sengwe, People.com, 25 May 2025
While Lamont points with pride to the large surpluses achieved during his tenure, critics say these weren’t inessential funds but rather were leeched from core programs that have been dangerously undermined.
—Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 25 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for rather
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rather
Adverb
-
Seek shelter promptly in a safe location, preferably indoors.—
Bay Area Weather Report,
Mercury News,
7 June 2025
-
Only after the game is complete and preferably following a Florida Panthers victory.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
4 June 2025
Adverb
-
So what could have been handled as an unfortunate encounter was instead purposely upgraded for propaganda purposes.—
Anita Chabria,
Los Angeles Times,
14 June 2025
-
Her defense denies that a collision ever happened, suggesting he was attacked by someone at the party and a dog instead.—
Michael Ruiz,
FOXNews.com,
13 June 2025
Adverb
-
The good news is that training mobility and balance is pretty easy.—
Matt Parrott,
Arkansas Online,
15 June 2025
-
In other words, the idea of the Qataris shutting off the monetary supply line to the French capital is pretty misguided.—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
15 June 2025
Adverb
-
But that was a relatively modest 5,000 tickets a night.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
7 June 2025
-
Goldman Sachs estimates federal employment declined by a relatively modest 10,000 in May, adding to the 26,000 government workers that Capital Economics says already have been chopped since February.—
Paul Davidson,
USA Today,
7 June 2025
Adverb
-
Protests soon spread to cities including Sacramento, Oakland, San Jose and San Diego.—
Bethany Wales,
Sacbee.com,
14 June 2025
-
Water depth - The deeper the water, the sooner a vehicle loses traction on the road.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
14 June 2025
Adverb
-
It’s been quite a year for Kathy Bates and Billy Bob Thornton, who both lead hit shows.—
Emily Longeretta,
Variety,
15 June 2025
-
While that is quite close to the FOMC’s target, it was dragged down by a decline in energy prices.—
Simon Moore,
Forbes.com,
15 June 2025
Adverb
-
Last week, the world was treated to a new song by Rihanna, which is a fairly rare occurrence these days.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
-
Even the fairly aggressive background blur the game uses looks toned down on the Switch 2.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
6 June 2025
Adverb
-
Truthfully, my increasing curiosity about Mississippi Jews has been somewhat inexplicable even to me.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 June 2025
-
Powell added the city has failed to deliver on a promise to close the pay gap that exists for probation officers compared to cops, though a deal struck in August somewhat improved the margin.—
Graham Rayman,
New York Daily News,
12 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rather.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rather. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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